Discover Small Ship Mediterranean Cruises with Silversea

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Experience intimate travel with small ship Mediterranean cruises. Enjoy personalized services and explore hidden gems aboard Silversea’s Silver Moon. Read on for details about this magical journey.

Picture waking up refreshed to stunning views of the sparkling blue Mediterranean with a fresh breeze drifting through your private balcony as your butler delivers your favorite breakfast. The day ahead is yours to craft. Opt for a unique guided shore excursion or simply lounge by the pool with a good book. Come sunset, you’re savoring a gourmet meal while gazing at the dazzling horizon, exchanging stories with your travel companions. This is the essence of a small ship cruise with Silversea—where every detail is curated for a personalized, luxurious experience.

Small ship cruises, like my recent voyage aboard Silversea’s Silver Moon, are quickly gaining popularity for travelers seeking a more unique and private vacation. These boutique-style cruises allow access to hidden gems—remote islands, smaller harbors, and less-traveled ports that bigger ships can’t reach. With fewer passengers, a higher level of service, and a focus on immersive cultural experiences, they offer an intimate way to explore some of the world’s most beautiful destinations.

 

What to Expect on Board a Silversea Cruise

On a Silversea cruise, you can expect a contemporary setting designed to offer individualized service and attention to detail from the moment you close your front door.

Making Our Way to Port

After the private car ride to the airport and flight to Athens, we checked into our accommodations coordinated through the cruise line at Hotel Grande Bretagne—a historic and stunning architectural landmark in downtown Athens. We spent the afternoon fighting off jet lag and exploring the side streets. While searching for a sweet treat, we discovered what would soon become our favorite gelato shop in Athens.

For the rest of the evening, we explored the hotel’s incredible amenities, including its rooftop restaurant with unbelievable views of the Parthenon and Acropolis. We visited the rooftop pool and luxurious spa with a fitness center. If you are passing through Hotel Grande Bretagne, the spa is worth checking out for its multiple saunas, plunge pools, and more.

This stopover was a great way to get our bearings and set the tone for the remainder of our time at sea.

Boarding and Introductions

The following day, we were off to the port to embark. The process through passport control was effortless and fast. Before we knew it, we were enjoying a glass of celebratory champagne as we unpacked and settled into our suite.

Our butler stopped by shortly to introduce himself and take any initial requests for items or information we needed in our room. Shortly after, our room was stocked with additional toiletries and refreshments, and we had answers to our questions.

Something unique to Silversea is the nearly 1:1 crew-to-passenger ratio, which ensures your every need is met, from the butler services to excursion arrangements, customizable menu options, and personalized wine recommendations.

We thoroughly enjoyed being greeted by name. The staff remembered our favorite drinks and offered suggestions based on our preference or meal selection.

Boutique Ship Accommodations

The accommodations are spacious and elegant. All suites feature ocean views, and many include private balconies. Our mid-tier suite on Silversea was twice the size of a comparable class suite on other cruise lines, which is a real perk.

One of my favorite parts of our trip was stepping onto our balcony first thing in the morning with a cappuccino. I loved listening to the sounds of the ocean while taking in the salty breeze and warm sun.

In addition to enjoying the privacy of your own balcony, the suites are designed with comfort in mind. Expect plush bedding, an expansive bathroom with a separate bath and shower, designer toiletries, and a full walk-in closet that makes you feel right at home.

Restaurants and Meals

Dining is a highlight on the Silver Moon, with multiple restaurants offering everything from farm-to-table meals to international cuisine. You can enjoy fine dining in La Dame or indulge in locally sourced, fresh dishes at S.A.L.T. Kitchen, focusing on the flavors of the destinations you’re touring.

The dining schedule is pretty flexible, but reservations are highly recommended and can often be made before setting sail if you have a special occasion you plan to celebrate at sea.

Things to Do Around the Ship

While onboard, the overall focus is on enrichment and relaxation more than flashy entertainment or family-friendly activities. Expect curated options like hands-on cooking demonstrations in the S.A.L.T. Lab, wine tastings, and cultural talks by experts, naturalists, and historians.

On our trip, we thoroughly enjoyed talks from the ancient Greek history and mythology professor. The day before we arrived at each port, he gave insightful and fascinating lectures about each destination we would be visiting. These brief talks gave us a greater appreciation for the places we were visiting and the excursions we had scheduled.

If staying active on vacation is part of your lifestyle, Silversea has a fitness center near the spa. Here, you have access to weights and a nice variety of equipment. Once on board, you’ll also have an itinerary of different activities hosted by the fitness center, from talks about diet and nutrition to complimentary yoga classes.

Keeping with the theme of enrichment and education, another favorite activity exclusive to the Silversea line was our hands-on cooking class in the S.A.L.T. Lab. The unique teaching kitchen has space for about ten participants, where an expert chef teaches you to cook a regionally specific dish. At the end, we enjoyed the saragli and spanikopita we made and were sent home with copies of the recipes from that day’s class, which made a wonderful and personal souvenir for sharing with friends and family at home.

But if you are in the mood for a little more excitement, Silverseas still offers multiple places to enjoy live music and entertainment around the ship. From piano soloists to Jazz and a modest dancefloor with a live DJ, they have a little something for everyone.

If you’re looking for a well-rounded yet more intimate, culturally immersive, and highly tailored cruise, the Silversea Silver Moon delivers on all fronts.

What Defines a Small Ship Cruise and the Unique Benefits?

A small ship cruise is defined by its size and capacity. It typically carries fewer than 1000 passengers. This more intimate setup creates a unique atmosphere, focusing on meaningful connections rather than the large-scale entertainment typical of traditional cruise lines. However, not all small-ship cruising is the same.

Other Small Ship Cruising Options

Small ship cruises come in different forms, including expedition cruises, which venture to remote and challenging destinations like the Arctic or Antarctica, and luxury cruises, such as those offered by Silversea, which provide high-end amenities and service while exploring regions like the Mediterranean or Caribbean.

River cruises also navigate iconic waterways like the Danube or Amazon, and specialty theme cruises center on interests like wildlife, cuisine, or culture. Now that Silversea is part of the Royal Caribbean Group, it is easier to collect loyalty points while enjoying every cruise of every style and size.

Perks of a Small Ship Cruise

Small ships are more about authentic, immersive travel than larger cruise lines. They can navigate narrow channels, shallow harbors, and secluded bays that larger vessels can’t access, opening up a world of off-the-beaten-path destinations. For example, Silversea’s smaller ships can take you to hidden Mediterranean coves or the pristine Galápagos Islands, offering close encounters with nature and local culture that you wouldn’t experience on a massive cruise ship.

Additionally, small-ship cruises tend to be more environmentally sustainable. Many focus on reducing their ecological footprint using hybrid engines and minimizing waste. This smaller footprint also means that the impact on local communities and ecosystems is less invasive, making small-ship cruises an excellent choice for travelers who value sustainable tourism.

Overall, small ship cruising is about quality over quantity, unique destinations, and a deeper, more memorable connection with the places you visit.

Pros and Cons of Cruises to the Mediterranean

A small-ship cruise in the Mediterranean offers several advantages, but depending on your travel preferences, it also has a few drawbacks.

Advantages of a Small-Ship Cruise in the Mediterranean

One of the biggest perks of a small ship cruise is the intimate experience. With fewer passengers on board, you’ll enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere where you can connect with fellow travelers and receive highly attentive service from the crew.

The smaller ship allows it to navigate to hidden ports and lesser-known harbors that larger vessels can’t access. This means you can explore off-the-beaten-path destinations like small Greek islands or remote Italian coastal towns, which offer more authentic and immersive exposure to life in the Mediterranean.

One of our favorite highlights of the trip was enjoying a five-course meal at a quaint rooftop restaurant overlooking the harbor of Patmos one afternoon. Since we typically eat earlier than customary meal times, we had the beautiful restaurant and setting to ourselves and paid a fraction of the cost compared to US standards. It was truly an exceptional meal made even more special by the excellent staff, who instantly made us feel like family despite the language barrier. Moments like these are the highlight of traveling to smaller, less touristy destinations that my family and I live for.

Personalized Excursions

Smaller groups mean more intimate, tailored shore excursions. If you’re looking for something specific in your excursions, there are often opportunities to book private specialized tours.

Flexible Itineraries

Small ships are more adaptable to weather changes and spontaneous stops. To avoid rough seas on one leg of our trip, we switched the order of several ports on our itinerary. We appreciated the crew’s quick rerouting and coordinating excursion changes rather than missing an opportunity to dock.

Immersive Experiences

You’ll get closer to local culture, cuisine, and daily life, focusing on quality over quantity.

Avoid Lugging Suitcases

Finally, one of my personal favorites of choosing to cruise the Mediterranean over ferries or day trips from Athens is the luxury of only having to pack and unpack your suitcase once while visiting dozens of unbelievable destinations across the Mediterranean.

Disadvantages of a Small-Ship Cruise in the Mediterranean

On the downside, small-ship cruises are often more expensive than larger ones due to the exclusivity and premium services offered. Additionally, onboard amenities are more limited. For example, at the time of our cruise, Silversea had a web portal where guests could manage aspects of their trip, but it was not as convenient or user-friendly as the apps provided by other cruise lines. So, if you’re seeking non-stop entertainment or family-friendly facilities, a small ship might feel too quiet or laid-back.

Higher Cost

The distinctive service and smaller capacity come at a premium.

Limited Entertainment

Fewer onboard activities compared to mega-ships.

Motion Sensitivity

Smaller ships can be more prone to noticeable movement in rough seas. One day, the rougher waters prevented us from tendering to shore, which was disappointing, but the crew did their best to create alternative activities for us on board. However, except for this one day, we hardly ever noticed the ship leaving port or moving while onboard.

A New Way of Traveling

Another less talked about drawback of a boutique cruise like Silverseas is you’ll never want to return home. You’ll likely never look at vacationing the same, either. I say this jokingly, but they do their best to care for you in every way.

Ultimately, a small ship Mediterranean cruise is ideal for travelers seeking authentic cultural experiences and individualized service in a quiet setting. Still, it may not suit those seeking a more affordable or entertainment-packed vacation the whole family will enjoy.

Though a few multigenerational families on our trip seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly, they were exceptions rather than the norm. Meeting people as part of a conference or retreat for a particular industry was more common.

How Much are Small Ship Cruises?

Silversea cruises are renowned for their splendor and all-inclusive offerings but also have a premium price tag. More exclusive destinations often have price tags in the tens of thousands per person.

What sets Silversea apart is that the fare covers almost everything, making it more inclusive than many other cruise lines. Your fare includes all-suite accommodations, butler service, gourmet dining, premium wines and spirits, gratuities, and even shore excursions on many itineraries. Beyond these benefits, you can also book your flight and private airport transfer for full door-to-door service. For the most part, the only extras would be spa services and optional added shore adventures.

Whereas you often feel nickeled and dimmed upgrading food and beverage packages and having to struggle with your key card to navigate ships on other lines, Silversea’s all-inclusive offerings mean the only time you need your key card is to access your room and when getting on or off the ship.

While the upfront cost might seem steep, the all-inclusive nature of a Silversea cruise means you can spend more time enjoying your trip. On our eleven-day voyage, we hardly touched our wallets except when shopping or trying local cuisine at various ports.

Plus, the intimate and personal atmosphere, combined with access to unique and less-visited destinations, makes it a top choice for travelers seeking a refined, hassle-free option that offers exceptional value for the money.

Practical Tips for a Small Ship Mediterranean Cruise

Planning is critical to making the most of your trip if you’re heading on a small ship cruise, especially with a luxury line like Silversea. My first tip? Book your excursions early. Small ship cruises tend to sell out quickly because of their limited capacity, and if you can travel during off-peak times, you might score a better cabin at a lower price.

Our trip was booked two years in advance, which saved us thousands in booking fees, as prices continued to increase annually.

So, if you’ve got your heart set on exploring a particular island or participating in a unique experience, lock it in as soon as it becomes available. Once onboard, scheduling any day-at-sea activities immediately is also a good idea. Whether reserving a spa treatment or snagging a poolside cabana, the most popular spots can be booked quickly.

Now, let’s talk packing. A Mediterranean cruise might have you thinking of endless sunshine, but layering is your best friend. The weather can change fast, especially if you’re traveling between different regions or seasons. Pack a light jacket or sweater for cooler evenings on deck. And don’t forget the essentials: binoculars for spotting wildlife or distant views, seasickness remedies (just in case), sunscreen, and some waterproof gear.

Be prepared for limited connectivity, too. Wi-Fi can be spotty or expensive, so it’s a great excuse to disconnect and enjoy the scenery. Lastly, remember that while a lot is included, you’ll want to budget for extras like specific shore excursions, tips, and optional activities. Do some research to know what’s covered in your fare. It’ll help you avoid surprises!

How to Choose the Right Small Ship Cruise in the Mediterranean

When picking the right small-ship Mediterranean cruise, you’ll first want to figure out what kind of experience you’re after. Are you craving a laid-back, opulent escape with gourmet meals and poolside lounging? Or are you more of an adventurous traveler who loves exploring hidden coves, hiking coastal trails, and learning about local cultures? For the Mediterranean, you’ve got a few options—expedition-style cruises for the more adventurous or a gorgeous coastal cruise like Silversea, which is all about relaxation and cultural immersion.

Once you’ve nailed down the trip you want, think about the comfort level vs. exploration. Some small ships focus on luxurious amenities—think butler service, gourmet dining, and spacious suites—while others are more about getting you to unique destinations with fewer frills but incredible shore excursions. For example, if you’re sailing with Silversea, you’re getting top-notch luxury, but if you’re after a more rugged adventure, you might want to look into an expedition-style cruise that takes you off the beaten path.

Insider Tips: Check the ship’s policies before you book. Some small ships have age restrictions or health requirements, especially on more active itineraries. And it’s always a good idea to read up on their cancellation policies, especially if you’re traveling during a season with unpredictable weather. Flexibility is key—especially if your cruise focuses on wildlife or nature excursions, where schedules can change based on conditions.

Lastly, take a close look at the itinerary. How much time are you spending at sea versus in port? Are the excursions included, and do they align with your interests? Some cruises offer more flexibility than others, so if you like having options on what to do at each stop, make sure the itinerary gives you that freedom.

Conclusion

A trip to Greece is a vacation worth a spot on everyone’s bucket list. But saving up for a luxury small-ship cruise is the ultimate way to experience the beauty and wonder of the Mediterranean. After eleven days at sea aboard the Silversea Silver Moon, I cannot picture exploring the islands and seaside cities any other way.

We invite you to check out Wander With Wonder for more of our favorite cruises.

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